Catch for a packing case or the like



Sept. 6, 1960 G. E. SWANSON CATCH FOR A PACKING CASE OR THE LIKE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1958 FIG.7 PIC-3.6 FIGS FIG.1O

FIGS

INVENTOR GUNNAP ESWANSON V 5 *IIIL A 7'7'ORNEYS Sept. 6, 1960 V G. E.SWANSON 2,951,722

CATCH FOR A PACKING CASE OR THE LIKE Filed July 51, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet2 A TTORNEVS Patented Sept. 6, 1960 CATCH FOR A PACKING CASE OR THE LIKEGunner E. Swanson, Middletown, Conm, assignor to The Nielsen HardwareCorporation, Hartford, Come, a corporation of Connecticut Filed July 31,1958, Ser. No. 752,302 Claims. (Cl. 292-247) The invention relates to acatch for use on a packing case or the like having a main body andhaving a cover upwardly separable from said main body. A strike isprovided which is adapted to be fixedly attached to said case cover, anda catch unit is provided which is adapted to be fixedly attached to saidcase body below the strike. The catch unit is of the type comprising alever movable about a fixed axis and a yoke pivoted to said lever at amovable axis and engageable with the strike. The relationship of partsis such that said yoke when so engaged and said lever when in saidforward position constitute toggle links movable respectively about thepivotal connection with the strike and about said fixed lever axis sothat said movable yoke axis has an overcenter action with respect tosaid fixed lever axis upon movement of the lever to a rearward position.

'One object of the invention is to provide means normally engagingthebase and thelever for retaining said lever to prevent forwardmovement thereof from its rearward position, together with a manuallyengageable device serving upon forward movement to release saidretaining means and also move the lever forwardly.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and the claims.

The drawings show one embodiment of the invention and such embodimentwill be described, but it will be understood that various changes may bemade from the constructions disclosed, and that the drawings anddescription are-not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope ofthe invention, the claims forming a part of this specification beingrelied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a catch embodying the invention, said catchbein shown in its position of initial engagement.

Fig. 2 is a side view similar to Fig. l, but showing the catch in anintermediate position, a fragmentary portion at the bottom being shownin vertical central section.

Fig. 3 is a side view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the catch in itsposition of full engagement.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the catch as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a front view of the base separate from other parts.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the base as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a firont view of the main lever separate from other parts.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the lever as shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a front view of the yoke separate from other parts.

Fig. 10 is a side view of the yoke as shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line11-11 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 11, but show ing the catchin a position preparatory to release.

Fig; 14-is a horizontal sectional view taken along the t.

Hint 14 14 of Figs. 3 and 11.

Fig. 1.5 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the linm 15-15 ofFigs. 3 and 11.

Fig. 16 is horizontal sectional view taken along the lines 16-16 ofFigs. 3 and 11.

A catch embodying the invention is adapted for use on a packing case orthe like having a main body A and having a cover B upwardly separablefrom said main body. The catch includes a strike 10 adapted to befixedly attached to said case cover B, said strike having a relativelyfixed hook 12. The catch also includes a catch unit which has a base 14adapted to be fixedly attached to said case body A below said strike 10.A main lever 16 is connected with the base 14 for movement about ahorizontal transverse axis which is fixed against forward and rearwardmovement relatively to the bases, such an axis being provided by a pivotpin 18. A yoke 20 is pivoted to said lever 16 for movement about amovable horizontal transverse axis at a pivot pin 22 spaced from saidlever axis 18. The yoke 20 is pivotally engageable at its upper end withthe hook 12 of said strike 10 when said lever 16 is in a forwardposition as shown in Fig. I. Said yoke 20 when pivotally engaged withthe hook of said strike and said lever 16 when in said forward positionconstitute toggle links movable respectively about the pivotalconnection of the yoke with the strike 10 and about said lever axis at'18 so that said movable yoke axis at 22 has an overcenter action withrespect to said lever axis at 18 upon movement of the yoke 20 and thelever 16 to rearward cover holding positions as shown in Fig. 3.

The base 14 is shown as having two parallel forwardly projecting Wings24, 24 having holes 18 18 therein for the pivot pin 18. The lever 16 isshown as having two rearwardly projecting wings 26, 26 located betweenthe base wings 24, 24 and having holes 18 18 for said pivot pin 18 andalso having holes 28 28 for another pin 28 to be described. In additionthe wings 24, 24 have holes 22 22 for the pivot pin 22. The last saidholes 22 22 are vertically elongated to permit vertical adjustment ofsaid pin 22. The yoke 20 is shown as having two rearwardly projectingwings 30, 30 having holes 22 22' for the pivot pin 22.

The base 14 has forwardly projecting teeth 32, 32 and the wings 26, 26of the lever 16 have notches 34, 34 into which the teeth fit when thecatch is in fully engaged position as shown in Fig. 3. The teeth and thenotches are adapted to carry a portion of the vertical stress and tothus avoid undue stress on the pins 18 and 28.

As shown, means is provided on the lever 16 for enabling said yoke axisat 22 to be moved vertically to vary the distance between said base andsaid strike when said yoke and said lever are in their said coverholding positions as shown in Figs. 3 and 11. Preferably a manuallyoperable device is included in the last said means for positivelyvarying the position of said yoke axis. It is thus possible to makecorrection for minor inaccuracies in the location of the base 14 and ofthe strike on the ,body A and on the cover B. Within reasonable limits,

said base and said strike is not herein claimed as a part of the presentinvention. The last said means is set forth and claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 848,587, filed October 26, 1959, entitled Catchfor 2. Packing Case or the Like, the said application being a divisionof this present application.

As best shown in Figs. 11, 14 and 15, a block .36is interposed betweenthe wings 26, 26 of the lever 16, this block 38 has a vertical threadedhole into which fits a vertical screw 40. The upper portion of the screw40 extends through a vertical hole in the block 36. The screw 40 has anannular groove through which the two pins 18 and 28 extend, said pinspreventing bodily vertical movement of said screw. By means of a slot inits upper end, the screw 40 may be turned to vertically adjust the block38 and the pivot pin 22 relatively to the pivot pin 18. The verticaladjustment of the pin 22 relatively to the lever 16 is permitted by thevertical elongation of the holes 22*, 22 The yoke 20 is verticallyadjusted with the pin 22 and the yoke axis is therefore moved oradjusted with respect to the lever axis.

A manually movable releasable latch device is provided which normallyengages the base 14 and the lever 16 for preventing movement of saidlever forwardly from its rear position. Said latch device comprises anabutment in fixed position on the base and also comprises a latchcarried by the movable lever and normally in engagement with theabutment to retain the lever in rearward position, said latch beingmanually movable relatively to the lever and out of engagement with saidabutment.

As shown the base 14 has two forwardly projecting wings 42, 42. near itsbottom and a transverse pin 44 is secured to said wings. The pin 44constitutes the before-mentioned abutment on the base, this abutmenthaving a rearwardly exposed face. The relatively movable latch on thelever is shown at 46, this latch being spring pressed downwardly andmanually movable upwardly. The latch preferably comprises twotransversely spaced active portions and said active portions haveinclined cam faces 48 which enable the latch to automatically moveupwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, when the lever 16 is moved rearwardly fromthe position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 11. Atthe last said position the latch 46 snaps downwardly behind the abutment44.

For manually moving the latch 46 upwardly there is provided a fingerpiece 50 which is carried by the lever 16 and which is spaced forwardlyfrom the base 14 to provide finger space behind it. Said finger piecehas rearwardly projecting wings 52, 52 at the sides thereof, said wings52, 52 being at the outer sides of the wings 26, 26 on the lever 16.Said lever wings 26, 26 have slots 54 which are vertical and slots 56which are inclined upwardly and .rearwardly. Transverse pins 58 and 60extend through and fit holes in the wings 52, 52 of the finger piece andalso through said slots 54 and 56 in the wings 26, 26 of the lever. Thepins 58 and 60 are at the lower ends of the slots 54 and 56 and thefinger piece 50 therefore cannot move downwardly beyond the positionshown in Fig. 3. When the latch 46 is in its engaged position as shownin Fig. 11, the front wall of the finger piece 50 registers with thefront wall of the lever 46. Said finger piece has an offset upwardextension 62 which fits behind and engages the rear face of said frontwall of the lever 16. The extension 62 has an upwardly and rearwardlyinclined front face and this cooperates with the adjacent front portionof the lever 16 to prevent vertical movement of the finger piece.

The latch 46 is U-shaped in horizontal plan, as shown in Fig. 16, saidlatch having wings 64, 64. The latch is located between the Wings 26, 26of the lever and the active portions of said latch are at the lower endsof said latch wings 64, 64. Said wings of the latch have vertical slots66 through which the pin 58 extends and said wings have upwardly andrearwardly inclined slots 68 through which the pin 60 extends. Atransverse normally vertical plate 70 is secured to the wings 26, 26 ofthe lever near the rear thereof and behind the latch 46.

A compression cOil spring 72 is interposed between the plate 70 and thefront wall of the latch 46. The spring fits a tab bent forwardly fromthe plate 70 and a tab bent rearwardly from the front wall of the latch.Said spring 72 biases the latch 46 to its engaged position as shown inFigs. 3 and 11. Downward movement of the latch relatively to the fingerpiece 50 is limited by the engagement of the upper ends of the slots 66and 68 with the pins 58 and 60. When the upper ends of said slots 66 and68 engage the pins 58 and 60, the spring 72 also biases the finger piece50 downwardly. Downward movement of the finger piece is limited by theengagement of the pins 58 and 60 with the lower ends of the slots 54 and56 in the wings 26, 26 of the lever.

When the catch is moved from the Fig. 1 position to the Fig. 3 position,the catch 46 engages the abutment 44 as shown in Fig. 2 and is cammedupwardly. The latch moves upwardly in opposition to the spring 72 andindependently of the finger piece 50. In the Fig. 3 position the spring72 has moved the latch so that its active portions are behind theabutment 44 to prevent forward movement of the lever.

When the catch is to be disengaged, the inclined face on the extension62 of the finger piece and the inclination of the slots 56 in the leverwings cooperate to prevent the finger piece 50 from moving verticallyupwardly. Said inclined face and slots cause the finger piece to havecombined upward and rearward swinging movement about the pin 58 whensubstantially forward pressure is applied manually to the lower end ofsaid finger piece. When such pressure is applied, the finger piece ismoved from the Fig. 11 position to the Fig. 12 position and it carriesthe latch 46 with it, the latch being thus moved out of its engagingrelationship with the abutment 44. As soon as the Fig. 12 position hasbeen reached, the forward pressure on the lower end of the finger pieceis continued, and motion is continued to the Fig. 13 position which issuch that the yoke 20 can be disengaged from the strike 10. It will beseen that substantially forward manual pressure applied to the lower endof the finger piece 50 serves not only to move the latch 46 upwardly forreleasing the lever 16 but also to move said lever forwardly.

It will be observed, particularly from Fig. 11, that the combined centerof gravity of the latch 46 and of the finger piece 50 is above the axisof the pin 56. Therefore, any shock that would tend to move the lever 16forwardly and which would thus tend to release the catch, would alsotend to move the latch and finger piece forwardly and downwardly so thatthey remain in the positions shown in Fig. 11. With the parts in theFig. 11 position, the lever 16 is locked against forward movement.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a catch for use on a packing case or the like having a main bodyand having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, thecombination of a strike adapted to be fixedly attached to said casecover and having a relatively fixed hook, a base adapted to be fixedlyattached to said case body below said strike, a lever connected with thebase for movement about a relatively fixed horizontal transverse axis, ayoke pivoted to said lever for movement about a movable horizontaltransverse axis spaced from said fixed axis which yoke is pivotallyengageable at its upper end with the hook of said strike when said leveris in a forward position, said yoke when so engaged and said lever whenin said forward position constituting toggle links movable respectivelyabout the pivotal connection with the strike and about said fixed leveraxis so that said movable yoke 'axis has an 'overcenter action withrespect to said fixed lever axis upon movement of the lever to arearward position, an abut-ment in fixed position on the base, a latchon the lever engageable with said abutment to prevent forward movementof said lever which latch is movable longitudinally of the lever and isspring biased into its abutment engaging position, a finger piece havinga normal position on the lever and relatively movable forwardly fromsaid position, and means dependent on relative forward movement of thefinger piece for moving the latch longitudinally of the lever and out ofengagement with the abutment so that forward pressure on the fingerpiece serves first to release the latch and then to move the leverforwardly.

2. In a catch for use on a packing case or the like having a main bodyand having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, thecombination of a strike adapted to be fixedly attached to said casecover and having a relatively fixed hook, a base adapted to be fixedlyattached to said case body below said strike, a lever connected with thebase for movement about a relatively fixed horizontal transverse axis, ayoke pivoted to said lever for movement about a movable horizontaltransverse axis spaced from said fixed axis which yoke is pivotallyengageable at its upper end with the hook of said strike when said leveris in a forward po' sition, said yoke when so engaged and said leverwhen in said forward position constituting toggle links movablerespectively about the pivotal connection with the strike and about saidfixed lever axis so that said movable yoke axis has an overcenter actionwith respect to said fixed lever axis upon movement of the lever to arearward position, an abutment on the base having a rearwardly exposedface, a latch carried by the movable lever and normally in engagementwith the abutment at said rearwardly exposed face so as to retain saidlever in rearward position which latch is movable relatively upwardly todisengage the abutment, and a finger piece carried by the lever andmovable upwardly relatively thereto which finger piece is connected withthe latch to move it upwardly and out of engagement with the abutment,said finger piece projecting downwardly from the lever and being spacedforwardly from the base to provide finger space so that substantiallyforward finger pressure applied to said finger piece serves not only torelease the lever but also to move it forwardly.

3. A catch as set forth in claim 2, wherein the upper portion of saidfinger piece has an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front facecooperating with a portion of the lever which inclined face constitutesguiding means for causing said upper portion of said finger piece tomove rearwardly and then upwardly.

4. In a catch for use on a packing case or the like having a main bodyand having a cover upwardly separable from said main body, thecombination of a strike adapted to be fixedly attached to said casecover and having a relatively fixed hook, a base adapted to be fixedlyattached to said case body below said strike, a lever connected with thebase for movement about a relatively fixed horizontal transverse axis, ayoke pivoted to said lever for movement about a movable hori zontaltransverse axis spaced from said fixed axis which yoke is pivotallyengageable at its upper end with the hook of said strike when said leveris in a forward position, said yoke when so engaged and said lever whenin said forward position constituting toggle links movable respectivelyabout the pivotal connection with the strike and about said fixed leveraxis so that said movable yoke axis has an overcenter action withrespect to said fixed lever axis upon movement of the lever to arearward position, an abutment on the base having a rearwardly exposedface, a finger piece vertically movable on the lever and projectingdownwardly therefrom, said finger piece being spaced from the base sothat finger pressure applied thereto will move said finger pieceupwardly and will move said lever forwardly, a vertically movable latchcarried by the movable lever and spring biased downwardly toward aposition for engagement with the abutment at said rearwardly exposedface, said latch having a cam face engageable with said abutment formoving said latch upwardly independently of the finger piece uponrearward movement of the lever, and means connecting said latch withsaid finger piece so that said latch is moved out of engagement with theabutment when said finger piece is moved upwardly.

5. A catch as set forth in claim 4, wherein two transverse verticallyspaced pins are provided on said finger piece, wherein said lever hasWings with vertically spaced slots therein through which said pinsextend, the lower slot being vertical and the upper slot being inclinedupwardly and rearwardly so that upon upward movement of said fingerpiece the upper portion thereof is moved rearwardly, and wherein themeans for connecting said latch with said finger piece is constructedand arranged to move said latch upwardly and rearwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS484,235 Plunkett Oct. 11, 1892 1,442,369 Sweet Jan. 16, 1923 1,455,625Langenau May 15, 1923 1,462,286 Jepson July 17, 1923

